It’s a Friday, and your buddy wants to ski the Pfeifferhorn in the Wasatch Mountains. And he’s leaving tomorrow morning — with or without you. You really need to get out, but there’s one catch: You don’t have an ice axe, skis, a warm jacket, or any energy left after your sixth math midterm.
But there’s an easy fix, at least for the lack of gear. That’s where the U’s Outdoor Adventures (OA) comes in.
There are two main components of OA: equipment rentals and trips. Need to get a pair of cross-country skis for a weekend outing, but not sure you’ll like it enough to commit to buying a pair? Outdoor Adventures has you covered. Want to find some new outdoor buddies, all while getting instruction on how to climb in beautiful Southern Utah? Look no further than the OA.
Formerly located on upper campus, Outdoor Adventures started in 1954 as the Ute Alpine Club. In 1976 it was accepted as a part of the U’s Campus Recreation Services. From there, the program, formerly known as the Outdoor Recreation Program, continued to grow.
With the creation of the Student Life Center, OA found a new home. At the beginning of the year, the entire inventory of Outdoor Adventures was moved further down campus onto the main floor of the new building.
Rob Jones, who has worked with OA since 1991, says the new location has greatly increased visibility with the program.
“Almost everyone who enters the facility sees or wanders through Outdoor Adventures,” he said.
It’s hard not to notice Outdoor Adventures with its illuminated arch, and it only gets better from there. If you catch a glimpse of the backroom of OA, you’ll see why so many students take advantage of the program. Skis line the racks, climbing harnesses hang out in droves, and snowshoes rest on numerous shelves.
The equipment of Outdoor Adventures is divided into three main sections: winter sports, camping, and boats/bikes/climbing. The sheer variety of outdoor appliances is staggering. You can rent kayaks to explore the Great Salt Lake. There are ice tools, boots, and crampons for ice climbing. If you want to give backpacking a try, rent a tent and sleeping pad. Basically, unless you plan on spending your Spring Break riding crocodiles in the Bayou, Outdoor Adventures has the equipment for you.
And get this: If you’re a U student, you get 20 percent off any of your rental costs.
But that’s only the first half of OA. All throughout the year, student trip leaders plan excursions throughout Utah and beyond. This Spring Break there are three big trips offered by the program. You can mountain bike the 100-mile-long White Rim Road for five days, spend nine days backpacking in Grand Gulch (with a day of river rafting to cap it off), or float down the San Juan River.
Just pay the trip fee — part of which is a non–refundable deposit — and attend the pre–trip meeting, and you’re good to go. Many trips don’t require prior skill in a specific activity, but all are geared to be tons of fun for any expert level.
At the end of the day, we’re students. While money often isn’t our first priority, making time to go an adventure always seems to be. Outdoor Adventures can help with that. Be sure to call a few days in advance (they accept reservations at 801.581.8516), and head over to OA to get every ounce of awesome out of your Spring Break this year.
@thatDickinson